Saturday, March 19, 2011

grief shared

"We have a problem," my mother said, her voice tight with concern. Taffy, her beautiful retriever was lying forlornly on the floor, unable to rise to her feet. An elderly dog with arthritis; there had been for some time a sense that her time was running out.

These things I knew.

I thought I was prepared for the inevitable but my reaction surprised me.
In a moment, I crumpled to the floor weeping, my arms around the dog's neck. "Oh Taffy, Taffy," I sobbed.
So much for being a pillar of strength for my mother.

Still, there is a comfort in grief shared and her grief is our grief; Comfort, peace and even joy, the gifts of love.